Just a Simple Joke
by marred clarity
Summary: Tired of being the butt of her beloved bestfriends' jokes, Hermione decides to get even... with surprising results.


**Disclaimer:**

This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Author's Notes:**

A silly little bunny that made its way into my rotting brain during the April's Fool Day. I've been wanting to post this up for the longest time, so please don't tell me that it had been way past April Fool's… Anyway, silly, this is, so don't go on a mad rampage saying it sucks, okay? Comments, suggestions, questions, anything will be greatly appreciated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
**Just a Simple Joke**

  
  
  
"I have had it!"   
  
  
Storming through several hallways and corridors in an attempt to escape her oh-so-wonderful-always-playing-a-trick-on-their-bookish-bestfriend friends, Hermione can't help but exclaim these words with extreme vehemence. How long was she supposed to accept this? Ever since they became friends, Harry and Ron had always played a trick on her during April Fool's. Either to hide a very important essay, or mess up the words in her assignment, to the point when they change her wand into a fake one, or humiliate her in front of others. It was just one childish prank after another childish prank, and unfortunately for her, she was always on the receiving end.   
  
  
This year, she thought it would be different. The twins had graduated the year before, and Harry and Ron would have no source to get their ideas from, anymore. But waking up this morning, she realized it was a bad choice to underestimate them. It was fortunate that they had no classes today... it had been so hard to take that sticky substance off, whatever that substance was. She had sworn to feed them that same substance before the day ends.   
  
  
It hadn't ended there. The whole day had been a disaster. One whole big disaster that it made her think of the most horrible ways to get back at them. Most horrible and totally un-Hermione ways that it made _her_ a bit scared of herself...   
  
  
**But** the feeling passed and she was now ready to take action. She'd show them, those gits. She would play a prank that they had never thought she'd be capable of. She'd get them back so hard they'd never play a prank on her again. Now all she needed was the perfect, grandest, and most brilliant scheme and she'd be on her merry way.   
  
  
It might make one wonder sometimes, that the best gift can come in the plainest packages, or in Hermione's case, in a blond, arrogant, and extremely irritating and human-like packages...   
  
  
She bumped into Draco at that very moment...   
  
  
"That's what happens, when people start screaming at walls, Granger." the unmistakable drawl taunted, as she looked up at the sneering face. "Makes even those pretending to be smart to show their true colors."   
  
  
Hermione scowled. Draco smirked. It seemed like their typical banter all over again. You push my buttons, I'll push yours. Let's see who cracks first. But while Hermione contemplated the nastiest retort she could think of without being vulgar, Draco did something so un-Draco like it would make Hermione later think that he might have been possessed.   
  
  
He smiled a _seemingly_ genuine smile, and held her hand gently, leading her around a bend before her mind found its way back to its own track. Hermione suddenly struggled.   
  
  
"What do you think you're doing, Malfoy?! Let go of my hand!"   
  
  
Draco turned around, and let her go, leaning on the door of a broom closet. He gave her a thorough once over (which made her blush in its intensity) and smirked once more, earning himself a hard glare from her.   
  
  
"After years of... sharing April Fool's with you," he started. "I _almost_ felt pity about what you had to go through, Granger. Now, if I'm not mistaken, which I know I'm not, you're just itching to get back, aren't you?"   
  
  
Hermione stared. Darn Malfoy! Since when had he started reading her mind? But she couldn't deny one thing... he was right of course. Hadn't that what she had been thinking about just moments before? What did Draco want then?   
  
  
"Well, being the genius that I am and being your friends' worst enemy to boot," his smirked widened. "I'm just _dying_ to do something to celebrate this wondrous occasion. If you help, I guarantee, you'll get what you've been mooning about since this morning."   
  
  
He just stood there, and waited for her answer, which, in itself, had surprised her. He was _waiting_ for her answer? Him? The person who had always made it clear just what he thought of her opinions? Surprised and, though she tries to deny it, quite intrigued as well, Hermione gave a nod and showed her agreement to whatever plan he had conjured.   
  
  
He reached for her hand again, a smile growing in his handsome face. Yes, handsome. Apparently, hatred makes one's view on a person cloudy. He opened the door to the closet just as familiar voices sounded from the corner...   
  
  
Harry and Ron?   
  
  
Hermione turned her head to look as the shadows grew from the corner, but at that moment, Draco had pulled her inside the room and closed the door with a firm push, pinning her against the wall, his face hovering just a few inches above hers.   
  
  
"Now the prank begins," he whispered huskily, his eyes glinting in a way that made her temperature rise. "The louder you make it, the better the joke will work. And let me tell you, Gra--_Hermione_," he said, his face moving closer towards hers. "Saying my given name will drive them up the edge."   
  
  
Hermione was confused. What was she suppose to do? Questions swirled in her mind but they were all overtaken when his lips crushed hers in a brutal and passion-filled kiss. It was so sudden, it left her breathless.   
  
  
She tried to suppress it. She really did. But even with the faint knowledge that the voices were getting near their hiding place, when Draco's hand slipped up her shirt and onto her heated skin, sending goosebumps all over her body, she moaned. The footsteps stopped outside and she felt Draco smile against her neck.   
  
  
"They've noticed," he whispered.   
  
  
He withdrew from her, and she whimpered softly at the loss. He smiled at her then, his eyes filling with warmth. He kissed her briefly on the lips, taking his hand from under her shirt, and took his wand out to utter a soft spell. She suddenly found their clothes back in order.   
  
  
"My name, Hermione," he breathed into her ear, as he curled a lock of her hair. "Just a little breathy word, and they'd surely come barging in."   
  
  
She stared straight into his eyes, and was surprised at what she saw. Smiling herself, she took a deep breath and moaned...   
  
  
"Draco..."   
  
  
The door burst open at that, and Hermione saw the faint outline of red hair in the light. However, more pressing in her mind was the fact that Draco seemed to be sitting primly at the other side of the closet, his arms crossed, and the ever familiar smirk present in his face.   
  
  
Ron advanced towards him, his face red with anger. His wand was drawn out and he seemed to be thinking of Draco's murder. Harry, meanwhile, walked briskly towards her, his face filled with concern.   
  
  
"Are you alright, Hermione?" he asked worriedly. He searched her face thoroughly, but only found a small smile there.   
  
  
"I'm fine, Harry." she answered smiling. "I was wondering, _Ron_?" she said loudly. "What's the date today?"   
  
  
Ron turned around, his face showing confusion. Suddenly, it seemed to click to the two interlopers.   
  
  
"April Fool's, you gits." Draco said smirking, wishing he had a camera to capture the moment. "How idiotic can you two be?"   
  


~*~*~

  
  
"I'll be there in a minute, okay?" Hermione said a moment later, as the three of them went on their way towards their common room. "I forgot to get a book from the library."   
  
  
Hermione went on her way, leaving the boys to their own thoughts. Ron and Harry were still perplexed on how Draco and Hermione had managed to actually work together for the prank. They had been so relieved when they saw it was a hoax. The sounds they had heard had brought such horrific images in their minds that they promised Hermione that they'd never play a trick on her anymore, if she promises never to do _that_ prank on them again. Hermione had agreed, but she refused to say how they had done it. And truth be told, the two of them had no intention of ever asking again.   
  
  
Strolling slowly on some corridor, Hermione looked closely at every nook and corner. Why was she here, she wondered. She really wasn't sure. It was as if someone was beckoning her to be here and that she had no choice but to comply.   
  
  
Suddenly, she was grabbed and pushed behind the door of an abandoned classroom. Looking up, she saw the outline of the platinum-blond locks, and the eyes that was burning with mischief. His lips curled upwards, turning into their familiar smirk, as he lowered his face towards hers.   
  
  
"Where were we?" he whispered huskily, earning a smile from her.   
  
  
As his lips crushed hers again, Hermione can't help but wonder about these April Fool's jokes...   
  
  
Who would've thought how... _enlightening_ a simple joke can be...

~*~*~

**End notes:**

Er, that's it… told you it was a silly little bunny… ^_^


End file.
